Zen Tiki Lounge

We are starting the new year with one of our most popular Zen Tiki Lounge drinks. The Scurvy Killer is tiki AF. Fresh citrus, rum, spice and bitters blend beautifully and please everyone. Discussed on this episode is the recent book by Kelly Hiphipahula Reily and Trader Tom Morgan. The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Cocktails is the NEW must have bar book and coffee table conversation piece. And much...

Aloooooooha! it was hard for us to believe that this was our 14th annual Holiday Spectacular. Sunshine, Pumpkin, Starshine and Kalani are in the Zen Tiki Lounge behind the microphone sharing some fun memories while sipping on a myriad of our favorite winter concoctions. Use the links below to get the recipes and mix things up for yourself. You will have to listen to the entire episode to hear the...

As we approach the full swing of the holiday season you will need a few cocktail recipes to show off with friends and family. One of our favorites is Island Fruitcake. If you attended Circa Caliente this past October you may have had the chance to hear Jill Martini and the Shrunken Heads. The group played Sunday afternoon and served as the whip cream on a weekend full great live performances. Jill...

Join Sunshine Tiki and Starshine Tiki in the Zen Tiki Lounge for a walk down Circa Caliente Room Crawl memory lane. Over the past 13 years we have recorded live at many events but have never shared our thoughts on each room on the crawl in sequential order. Until now! Below you will find the room crawl list, and some pictures from each room in the order they happened over the awesome Circa weekend...

Make your own Falernum and Spice Rum. Thats the message in this episode of ZTL podcast. Just before heading off on an Alaskan cruise, Sunshine jumped behind the bar to record this quick little show. With fall approaching its a great time to spice some of your own rum and why not try making falernum at the same time. These two infusions are essential in tiki mixology and by making your own version...

Put your earbuds in and listen to this episode. Sunshine, Kalani and Starshine really enjoyed the VERY random conversations spurred by trying a new tamarind and Demerara cocktail as well as tasting some rum and bourbon. Leave the kids at home because this one is full of adult themes and shenanigans.

Sunshine here in the lounge solo for this episode. Conversation includes Tiki Oasis, Lost Spirits Distillery, home bar cocktail menus, and plenty of classic Exotica. Starting with our cocktail, the 1944 Trader Vic’s Mai Tai made with Rhum Clement, Kula Hawaiian Dark Rum, Liquid Alchemist Orgeat. Kula Dark Rum happened to be on sale and worth trying.

It is mid July and time for a slushy cocktail that Pumpkin tends to demand this time of year. Bayou Swamp Slush is our newest drink created just for our original hostess. While sipping our new frosty we dive into a host of subjects and listen to new music from The Modernes. Plus listener mail and an editorial from Sunshine on what NOT to do when invited to a party.

Did we start with a cocktail in our dimly lit tiki bar? Yes, always! Listen to the podcast for the recipe and some ideas on mixing fun new ingredients anyone can find while on vacation visiting distilleries and other fun cocktail hot spots. With your cocktail ready its time to listen to IntoxiKA. Marty Lush on the Quiet Village podcast just released his latest episode and featured this band from H...

WARNING! This LIVE episode includes an inebriated audience with sound levels that spike and adult language. ;) We always enjoy welcoming listeners, fans and friends into our hotel suite at the weekend tiki events. This episode was recorded at Tiki Caliente 11 and includes a visit by Noah from Ambros Banana Whiskey, listener Q&A and everyones favorite podcast gameshow “Whats in Kalani’s Bra?” Liste...

Some side effects of this podcast include dry mouth, lazy eye, permanent erection and death. Or maybe those are some of the more common potential issues with most of the medications you see on TV. We suggest mixing our custom coffee cocktail called Flamingo Swamp before you enjoy this episode of ZTL. Sunshine and Starshine LOVE their coffee and LOVE It even more when you add spirits. Listen for th...

This is a re post of an episode from 2017 upated for this of you asking about hosting room parties. This will be our last episode before attending Tiki Caliente 9, the yearly event in Palm Springs where we happily spend 3.5 days enjoying the company of old and new friends of our tiki community.  We discuss how to plan a room party, how to mix 100 drinks at a time, tips for staying hydrated in the...

Please join us on this episode of Zen Tiki Lounge podcast for the usual bar banter, drink recipes and friendly advice. Sunshine, Kalani and Starshine got together relatively last minute for an unplanned recording session. We discuss the out of control flavors of modern beverages, crafting new drinks with ingredients you want to blow through, old workplace shenanigans, are Costco spirits worth it?,...

There is plenty going on in our dimly lit tiki bar this episode of ZTL podcast. Sunshine and Pumpkin start with a fabulous vintage tiki drink from the 1940’s. Next we dive into the mail sack to catch up on a few items sent in from listeners. When it came time for a second drink Pumpkin brought a quick dice game that proved perfect for choosing our next spirit and all the mixers needed for somethin...

Having good friends stop by the lounge is always a treat. On this episode Kalani and Sunshine are joined by Susan Nelson. Susan isn’t a podcast virgin. Sunshine challenged both Susan and Kalani to give gin another try. Pictured above is our version of a sling but with a bit of a tropical twist. Both ladies enjoyed the combination of fresh juices, gin and cachaça.

This episode is all Sunshine and music. Every now and then the Ladies of the lounge are busy but Sunshine wants to get behind the mic anyway. This is when you get a lot of exotica thrown at you for setting the mood in your dimly lit corner with cocktail in hand. No other notes needed. Just listen and enjoy the short conversation and songs from Tikiyaki Orchestra, Les Baxter, The Out-Islanders, Esq...

In the history of ZTL podcast the ladies have never enjoyed an all spirit cocktail. Things change! Finally. Sunshine was inspired by a recent trip to the local booze barn and played with some new ingredients. Over the years we have talked about the Wreck Bar in Ft. Lauderdale a few times. Sunshine and husband have had the pleasure of visiting a few times while spending a little time in town before...

On this episode of ZTL podcast Sunshine, Starshine and Kalani try our latest cocktail creation, Mrs. Kravitz’ Daydream. Sunshine was inspired by the Bewitched character who was the frequent victim of witchcraft and a medaling mother in law. If Gladys was sipping this drink before peeping through her window it may explain a few things. Also on this show: Ice Made Clear is the latest ice making devi...

What a year, what a year. Sunshine, Kalani and Pumpkin (though she arrived late) are in the lounge sipping no less than two cocktails and some other odds and ends. Just listen and enjoy the show. No blog post. No new cocktail. Its all for your years and we love you! We hope you “enjoyed” 2018 as much as we did ;)

Our annual holiday spectacular is one of our most popular episodes. Join the entire Zen Tiki Lounge podcast crew inside the lounge for hot buttered rum, listener mail, audio gift exchange and the inebriated conversation you’d expect.

It had only been a few days since recording our previous podcast. In order to get you another episode before the holidays jump on us we popped into the lounge for a quickie. Starshine, Sunshine and Kalani enjoy an easy to make drink that rings in the fall/winter season with the smoothness of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus. Mix Holiday Sunset and serve all season long.

Can you forgive us? We took 6 weeks off since the last podcast, mostly due to scheduling conflicts. But, Sunshine has also been under the weather. On this episode Sunshine and Kalani are in the lounge sipping on two of our newest cocktail. Click here for recipes and make Seven Stars or Shattered Pony to enhance your enjoyment of this podcast.

Aloooooooooooooooooooooha and Welcome to our much anticipated 400th podcast celebration recorded LIVE at The Reef Palm Springs @Caliente Tropics Palm Springs. Rory Snyder was gracious enough to allow us to host our very special celebration in his libation sanctuary The Reef. Fans, listeners and bar patrons joined us on a spicy hot Saturday to enjoy our top rated cocktail recipes along with meeting...

We made it! This is our last podcast before #400. Listen to this episode for details on our podcast celebration on 9/29/18 in Palm Springs @The Reef bar inside the historic Caliente Tropics hotel. Everyone is welcome to join us between 11am-3pm. Also, neighbor Vicki joins us in the bar and she does not hold back after having a cocktail. :)

just back from Las Vegas, Sunshine shares his experience of ordering mai tais from 6 different sin city casino bars just to see what would happen. Some bars were certainly better than others and those you may think would serve the better drink didn't necessarily do so.  Also on this episode are some quick updates on our upcoming 400th podcast celebration which will be held at The Reef Palm Springs...